The Hunt: A Neverland Adventure
by Olivia028
Summary: Captain Hook goes on a hunt in neverland. after coming across Princess Tiger Lilly and her companion the Pirate decides to use them to his advantage in the hunt, and enemies become fellow warriors as they take down the largest game on the island.


**The Hunt**

**A Neverland Adventure **

It's mid afternoon in Neverland. The Jolly Roger is anchored in its bay. Captain James Hook emerges from his cabin, in much less dress then his usual captain's attire. As he crosses the deck he arms himself, placing several vicious looking swords into this belt and aiming a large rifle, checking its charge. Smee walks behind him, quickly, to try to follow his captain's fast stride. Hook is in a good mood. He's giving Smee instructions on what the crew needs to do while he's gone. The Pirates on deck watch as their Captain, dressed in the simplest of clothes, arms himself with large knives and ropes for trapping. James Hook is going on a hunt, and he doesn't plan to return without an exceptional prize. As Smee helps his captain with some final things, a dingy is lowered to the water so that he can take himself ashore.

Before he scales down the side of the ship, Hook pauses and says to Smee

"And when they're done, let the men help themselves to the rum in storage below. This ship has been dead for to long, Smee, tonight we'll change that." the crew excitedly nudges one another, anxious for the rare reward of a night off.

"I'll return shortly after Dark." He says and down he goes.

It's already growing dark, a sort of blue sunset pans over Neverland casting the island into an airy twilight, but it's still light enough to easily see. Hook is walking through the shadows of the jungle, rifle poised and ready, his forget-me-not eyes searching for any sign of movement. Neverland is crawling with all manor of beasts; lions, tigers, wolves, and crocodiles, but hook is looking for the largest of them all. He wants a wild boar. Much larger then any other boars on any other mainland; here they are massive creatures, armed with impressive tusks, territorial aggression, and furious tempers. If he can bring one back to the Jolly Roger, he'll decide wither to sell the meet, tusks and hide at the Pirate's Market, or he could have the beast stuffed, an impressive trophy of the hunt.

Hook walks on. He approaches a clearing where a waterfall cascades into a hidden lake. Nestled in the middle of the island, the lake is of no importance to the Captain and he plans to pass it by. But he hears something coming from the water, the quiet sound of singing. Curious to see who it is, Hook peers through the leaves of the surrounding vegetation and looks into the clearing. A Native woman is bathing in the lake. James doesn't move but stays where he is, respectful enough to know he should leave but unable to look away.

The Indian is in fact Princess Tiger Lilly, a mature woman somewhere between the age of eighteen and twenty one. As royalty she knows not to go out like this unprotected. A Warrior is with her, his name is Bares Teeth Like Dog and he is currently walking around the perimeter, keeping his bow drawn and an eye out for danger. The Princess's safety his one priority. Bares Teeth Like Dog spots the Captain watching Tiger Lilly and comes up behind the spy.

Hook, just about to leave and content to continue on his hunt, is stopped. He finds the sharp point of an arrow pressing viciously against his neck. The Capitan slowly stands up, his hand and hook raise cautiously in the air. Although he's unable to see his captor, James tries to explain himself but before he can start Bares Teeth Like Dog kicks the Captain, screaming and swearing at the pirate in his native language. Hook falls out into the clearing, startling the princess who shouts in surprise and lowers herself deeper into the water in attempt to cover herself. Hook picks himself up, surprisingly amused by the whole situation. He addresses her with as much respect as possible,

"Princess I'm sorry. I assure you it was not my intent to," The shouting of Bares Teeth interrupts the Capitan as he too bursts out of the jungle, again coming up behind James and putting his bow against the man's head.

"Don't move you filth, or I'll slice you in two!" he warns. Hook can't understand what the warrior is saying and is unfazed by the harshness of his words. Calm and completely composed, Hook turns around to face the warrior. Bares Teeth Like Dog is unsettled by this. The Capitan's haunting blue eyes, his silver hook and his unnatural confidence causes him to become slightly afraid.

Tiger Lilly takes this time to run out of the water and quickly grab her clothes. Slipping them on behind some bushes and grabbing her blade, she runs up toward the warrior and their captured rival.

While staring down the Indian, Hook has remembered that he set up a snare near by and begins walking toward the warrior, his hands still raised, his gaze challenging him. Confused and slightly fearful Bars Teeth backs up, pressing his arrow against the Capitan's chest. Tiger Lilly arrives and sees the trap the captain has set, but when she calls out to warn her protector it's too late. Threatened the warrior takes another step backward. A rope loop is triggered and slings itself around his ankle, hoisting the surprised Indian high up into the trees.

Hook acts instantly, he turns on Tiger Lilly as she tries to attack but he's too quick. Without much difficulty he blocks her attacks and pins her arms against her chest, restraining her securely against him. The princess shouts and swears at him, determined to show her bravery against whatever he plans to do to her. James doesn't speak the Inuit language except for the few words and phrases Smee has begun to teach him.

"Stop Moving." He says to her in her language. And then in his own,

"I'm not going to hurt you, Princess. It's not you I'm after tonight. Now, I'm going to get rid of this," he pulls the knife out of her iron grasp and throws it, the blade stabbing perfectly in the trunk of a tree.

"There, you're free." He releases Tiger Lilly, backing away to show that he meant no harm. She eyes him suspiciously

"Then why were you spying on me?" she asks. The Captain doesn't understand her question. The Princess asks again, motioning to the Capitan, the bushes and then to herself, lifting up her wet hair to stress the severity of her past condition. He crosses his arms, not quite sure how to explain himself.

"Ahem, I ah, was just passing through. You have my apologies for intruding." Hook turns away to collect his rifle and other things. Tiger Lilly can't help but be curious towards his behavior. Captain Hook, the most fearsome pirate in Neverland, didn't kill her when he had the chance. Tiger Lilly had witnessed moments when the Captain would murder his own men just for treading on his heels. He was notorious for shooting Indians on site, with no regard to their intentions. So why, when his hook was so close to slitting her throat, did he just walk away?

As James gathers up his extra rope, he is surprised to see Tiger Lilly looking over his shoulder.

"You're hunting something… what?" Catching the word hunt in her question, James stands, preparing to leave.

"Wild Boar, um…" in her language he struggles to form the words, " Big… pig." She nods, saying the word in her language. He raises an eyebrow, not understanding. "What?"

She says it again. Then frustrated, she puts her fingers on either side of her mouth and begins to make snorting sounds. The Captain smirks in amusement at her attempt to explain. She stops and puts her hands on her hips.

"If you're going to be difficult about it then never-mind." He shakes his head, still chuckling slightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. a' hem!" James repeats the word back to her gesturing toward her respectfully with his bejeweled hand. Tiger Lilly nods with approval.

"Do you know… where they are?" he manages to ask her. She crosses her arms and looks him over, trying to decide whether or not to trust her past enemy. Slowly, she walks toward him. Tiger Lilly Picks up a branch and crouches on the ground. Hook crouches beside her and watches as she draws out a map of the island in the dirt, pointing to where they are now, and to where he needs to go.

"Wonderful." He stands and remembers Bares Teeth Like Dog still hanging above them. The warrior struggles to get free as he shouts down to them,

"Why are you helping that rat? He couldn't kill a boar even with the help of his guns. This is a trap Princess! Don't trust him!" Tiger Lilly speaks back to her guard, seemingly to try and calm him. Hook simply walks over to where the rope is tied holding the weight of the man in the tree, and pulls out a sword. Simply slicing through the rope, he lets Bares Teeth Like Dog fall violently back down to the ground. The warrior saves no time to reflect on his pain of landing, jumps up, grabs a knife from his side, and runs at the captain. Hook poises ready to defend himself but Tiger Lilly runs between them.

"Stop! As your Princess I order you not to attack him,"

"But your highness,"

"For now. Trust your instincts warrior, watch him and stay light on the pads of your feat. I don't trust him any more then you do," she pauses, " But I want to see what he's up to." Bares Teeth Like Dog nods and lowers his blade, Hook does the same.

"Give your friend my apologies, and yours as well Princess. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way." He replaces the sword and begins walking off in the direction Tiger Lilly indicated.

"C'mon." she says to Bares Teeth, and they walk after the Captain. He looks over his shoulder seeing them following him. He protests, insisting that the hunt is his own, but Tiger Lilly ignores him and continues to walk beside her rival, keeping her head held high in defiance and her bow ready in her grip.

Amused by her stubbornness he turns to Bares Teeth and says,

"Are all women like this?" the warrior narrows his eyes and bares his teeth at the pirate king, like how his name suggests. Hook Sighs,

"Never mind." And walks on, following the trail Tiger Lilly is setting.

Captain hook walks silently, rifle poised, eyes searching for movement. He looks over to Tiger Lilly and signals her to go ahead. They've found the boar, a huge beast they discovered sleeping in a muddy wallow underneath a south-facing ridge. In the darkness of the dim light the creature is practically invisible with it's natural camouflage. James first found it by its tracks in the mud. The Indians found it by its smell.

Tiger Lilly gets on the higher ground, ready to chase it down as soon as the boar wakes up. Hook lines the beast up in his site. He takes aim. But something moves in the distance causing neverbirds to take flight; their sounds echo through the dusky jungle, waking the boar. Startled by the movement the beast is instantly awake and begins to run. Hook swears as he looses his shot, but secretly he is glad; he was hoping for a good chase.

He and Tiger Lilly run after it in pursuit, the warrior close behind. They chase and surround the creature. Tiger Lilly takes aim and gets an arrow in its side, slowing it down but making it angry. James gets it with a few shots but the boar refuses to fall. It turns and charges him, bellowing and bleeding profusely. Hook takes aim but the gun is out of powder. He realizes this just as the beast comes at him, tusks lowered and ready to run him through. Hook growls and takes the barrel of the gun, slamming it into the boar's head as it reaches him; shocking it and causing it to waver to the side, slightly dazed. James removes his sword and charges the boar, stabbing and slicing into its thick hide. Infuriated, the monster turns on him. Swinging its head and knocking the Captain to the ground, it's large tusk ripping the clothes and flesh on his shoulder.

Tiger Lilly Jumps down into the clearing, shooting and arrow into the boars neck. It turns in a fit of rage and charges her. She tries to reach for a new arrow in time but her hand finds only the emptiness of her holster. Bares Teeth Like Dog jumps between the beast and his princess, shooting an arrow through the boar's ankle causing it to buckle mid run and slide to the earth, knocking both of them off of their feet and violently crashing down beside them.

Hook is up, his sword in hand. The Boar somehow gets to its feet and starts walking toward the Capitan on it's broken and twisted ankle. Its blood flowing as red as the Capitan's glowing eyes. They face each other, waiting for the other to move first. Through this moment of terror a smile manages to break across the captain's lips. He bellows his war cry and runs at the boar, pointing his hook and sword as if they were tusks of his own. The two meet in the middle, the Beast jutting its head upward, attempting to slice through his attacker. But Hook expected this and he drops to his knees, sliding under the charging animal and with all his strength stabs his blade up ward into it's skull.

The boar squeals in agony and rolls onto its back where, finally, it collapses, quivering in shuddering breaths. Hook weakly picks himself up and slowly walks over to the defeated creature. Climbing on its chest he takes his last sword and plunges it downward, piercing its heart.

Tiger Lilly and Bares Teeth Like Dog stare at the great hunter as he stands over his kill, silhouetted in the last light of the dusky jungle. It's a miracle, a feat of the spirits themselves. She approaches the animal, whispering prayers of praise under her breath.

James climbs down, still breathing heavily but refusing to rest or show his exhaustion. The warrior won't take his eyes off James. His fist tightens around the wood of his bow as he walks protectively behind his princess. Tiger Lilly knows that a shaman should be brought to the kill to perform the ritual that would allow the hunter to become one with the beast, and carry it's strength and soul along with him. But would the captain cooperate?

After circling the fallen boar, Tiger Lilly faces James,

"You are a great warrior," she says. Hook nods to her, understanding her compliment. The princess stairs into his eyes as they regain their forget-me-not color. She is not afraid. Grabbing his wrist she leads him over to the boar.

"You need to complete the kill. It won't be as it should, but it will be enough." She climbs up on its chest but James doesn't follow. He doesn't understand what she said and is skeptical to what she's doing on top of his boar. He shakes his head, but Tiger Lilly does not except this.

"Yes" she says in English, "up." she motions to him to join her. "The bond must be made before the body expires. Warrior, if you truly are one, you'll get up here now."

"Princess, when you speak that quickly, I can't hear anything but your angry squabbling. So if you wouldn't mind getting down… I need to figure out how I'm going to bring back the body." Princess Tiger Lilly could take it no longer; she was on the verge of tearing down their language barrier with her bare hands.

"You ignorant fool!" she shouts at him. The Captain doesn't know what she said but he can tell it wasn't good. Tiger Lilly jumps down and faces him, shouting. The two yell at each other, arguing in languages the other doesn't understand. This was especially frustrating to Capitan Hook. It had been years since any adult had openly disagreed with him. His crew was instilled with an obedient fear that Hook was proud of. The princess's force toward him is infuriating, but it also intrigues the Capitan. He holds up his hand,

"Stop! Just stop!" exasperated he asks, "Your _highness_," emphasizing her title, "What do you want?" Tiger Lilly looks around, struggling to explain the importance of what she's trying to do, trying to find the words she needs. Finally the word comes to her.

"The soul." She says, catching the Capitan by surprise, though he dare not show it. She raises her hand to the body, "The soul… the soul die… you," she puts her other hand on the Captain's chest, "Take, and make stronger." Hook looks down at her hands on his body, she removes them but continues to stare into is eyes. Hook exhales as he looks over his kill.

"Fine, just get on with it." She doesn't understand. He nods yes and she gratefully takes him to sit on the boar's chest. Tiger Lilly places his hand on the soft warm gash where his sword had slashed through the creature's heart. The warm blood sticks to the skin on his palm. She places her hands over his and begins to chant. Bares Teeth chants along with his princess as he runs his hands through the wiry fur, circling the boar below. James looks around, as if embarrassed of being seen in this situation.

After a few minutes she stops. Princess and Captain look at one another, enemies, and yet fellow warriors. She blinks and looks away.

"Are you alright, your highness?" Bares Teeth Like Dog asks. She nods and gives him directions to go and cut down banana leaves for transporting the body.

"Will you be ok alone with him?" he asks, clearly feeling uneasy about leaving them alone.

"Yes, thank you, I'll be fine." He nods and runs off into the woods.

"Are we done here?" the captain asks, examining the blood already drying on his skin.

"Not quite" Tiger Lilly cups her hands into the wound, her copper skin coming up dripping in red. She dips her fore fingers in the blood and motions to spread it on his face. James flinches, and looks at it disgustingly. Tiger Lilly tries again but he stops her hand in a tight grasp. This doesn't faze her and she wrenches away.

"Stay still!" she orders, eventually having to hold his face. Finally he allows her to mark his forehead and the bridge of his nose with the crimson fluid. She carefully smudges it on all the protective places, the base of his neck, and the back of his hand. Finished, she wipes the extra blood on her own body covering her arms in a thin red shade. Remembering his wound, she examines his bleeding shoulder. She flinches when she sees that the blood that flows there isn't red, but a sickly yellow. Tiger Lilly looks up fearfully at the Captain. He remembers it and quickly turns his head away from the wound, clearing his throat.

"It's ah… nothing just, just clean it up, quickly." The mighty Captain squeezes his eyes shut as the princess wraps a cloth around the peculiar wound. Besides the tick tick tock of the crocodile the site of his unnatural blood was the only thing that could unsettle the Pirate king. As soon as it was covered he looked back at the Tiger Lilly.

"Thank you." She nods

"The bond is complete, he is with you now in strength and spirit. This is a kill of great luck and fortune, but you're night is not over yet. The journey back will be dangerous. The boars blood has marked you as warning to keep away the scavengers, but you still have to move quickly to get back to your ship before nightfall." She jumps off the boar meeting bears teeth as he returns with the leaves. James jumps down as well and helps the warrior tie the leaves together, attaching the rest of his rope to the front. It takes all three of them to roll the monster onto the self-made sled after which James gathers the rest of his weapons and throws them on to the leaves. He slings the rope over his shoulder. Ready to drag the boar back to his vessel he waists no time, due to Tiger Lilly's warning, but he turns to the natives before leaving, meeting them with his haunting eyes.

"Thank you." Is all he says, and then he leaves, pulling the carcass behind him.

As they watch him leave, Bares Teeth Like Dog turns to Tiger Lilly.

"We never speak of this night," he says, "that man is a demon, did you see his eyes? A man couldn't have killed that boar, its refusal to die proved it was an old spirit, one not taken down by arrow or sword. I saw his evil blood on the beast's tusks, that disgustingly yellow color. I think it would be best to forget that we fought beside him, your highness." But Tiger Lilly shakes her head.

"No, we will tell his story,"

"Princess, he is a monster!"

"We can only learn from those we don't understand. And now we know his strength. This will help when the day comes to defeat him." Bares Teeth Like Dog smiles wickedly.

"Then I will be the one to kill the pirate. I'll drain every drop of his freakish blood until it ceases to flow." Tiger Lilly turns to her warrior and looks at him with pride.

"I believe you will, but until then, come. We must tell my father what has happened here tonight." Bares Teeth draws his bow and the two take off into the jungle running back toward the Indian camp.

Captain Hook continues on his miserable trek through the forest, maneuvering his way through the dense jungle by only the light of the Neverland moon. The corpse has attracted hundreds of flies. The insects buzz in a cloud behind him, some of them sticking to the blood on his face and neck. Exhausted, frustrated, and infuriated he pulls onward, continuing slowly across the island. As it grows darker the predators of the Neverland awake and start their nocturnal hunting. This is what worries the Captain, as he drags the tempting carcass. Its smell alone would have been enough to bring them in by the hundreds. It isn't long after the stars come out that James hears the wolves, surrounding him and the boar, skulking just inches away in the shade of the underbrush. He continues moving forward.

Hook would drag the boar through any obstacle and he was ready to fight off every beast that tried to steal it from him. Although he cannot ignore the fear that wondered what would happen when more of them came. He doesn't know if he can fight off an entire pack, but he swears he will try… for as long as he can.

But to the Captain's surprise the wolves do not descend, even with their advantage in number. He wonders if there is credibility in the princess's markings. And though they cause his skin to smell and the flies to swarm his face, neck, and hand, James admits that he is grateful for the blood markings.

They truly prove themselves when Hook has almost made it back. As he pulls the beast through the last mile of trees, the flies in his eyes and the breath of the wolves practically on his neck, he stops suddenly as a large animal crosses his path. A tiger stands before the Captain, a great predator of impressive size and strength. The tiger's eyes glow in the dark and it catches the smell of the boar. The wolves flee as the great cat approaches, showing its fangs and growling deeply from its chest. Hook doesn't move, his eyes begin to take on their red-ish glow.

The tiger snarls and bounds forward, James drops the rope and snatches up a sword, bracing himself for the fight. But the predator stops, its eyes seeing the boar's blood markings that cover the captain. The man's unusual eyes challenge the tiger. Slowly it backs away. Hook straitens himself and looks at the marking on his hand. He waves it aggressively at the tiger, shouting at it and sending the stripped prince to run off into the darkness.

The Indian's magic has merit. Captain Hook is intrigued and he notes to himself that he should research the practice on a later expedition, curious as to what other advantages it could bring. Pulling the rope again he is relieved to feel it come more easily now, as the ground gradually becomes softer and flatter with the sand of the nearing beach. The lights of the Jolly Roger can be seen through the trees, sounds of his crew's drunken singing quietly floats across the bay. With the taste of the rum that's waiting for him already damp in his mouth, Hook is looking forward to being able to collapse in his chair and drink to his own success.

From the deck, the ship is ablaze in lantern light and the air is full of wily music. As one of the pirates plays a guitar another tries to scratch out a tune on an old violin. Some sing along, while the most drunk of the crew try to dance to the off rhythm of the swaggering sea ditty. Others play cards and recline against the side of the ship, happy to be off duty.

Another group gather round a pair who are sportfully knife fighting. The men call out their bets on who they wager the winner will be and cheers erupt when one of the pirates is disarmed and aggressively thrown to the ground. Celebrating his win the other pirate puts his blade away and thrusts his fists triumphantly in the air as money is exchanged to the bet winners. The defeated pirate not yet given up, tackles the other, catching him off guard and knocking him to floor. As they violently fight each other on the ship's deck everyone shouts and yells in excitement. Pirates wave their bottles in the air and new bets are made and collected.

Smee was never on to get violent or giddy when he was drunk. He simply became very, very happy. The old first mate steps away from the excitement of the brawl to lean off the Jolly Roger's railing, gazing out at Neverland under the twinkling sky. But movement on the beach catches his eye. He squints through the hazy buzz that the rum has clouded in his eyes, trying to discern the massive shadow. It takes him several minutes to finally realize that it's the Captain returning from his hunt.

Smee gasps; fumbling to find the silver whistle he keeps on his person, blowing its harsh note to alert the crew.

"Captain off the starboard side! All hands to attention! Ready a boat to-_hiccup_!- a, a boat to bring in the kill!" Dazed and startled by his return, the pirates quickly snap out of their leisure and scramble to attention. Some men grab hold of a pulley lift that's rigged to he side of the ship and scale down it, lowering themselves on its hooks to later help carry up the animal.

They take a boat to the shore and meet their captain. None of the Pirates can believe what they see and many of them think it's a result of the rum. Captain James Hook stands before them, marked in both the blood of the beast and in his own. The rope that he had used to pull the boar here has cut a deep gash into his shoulder, causing his golden blood to stain his shirt. The men gawk at the size of the creature that towers behind their Captain, but Hook is tired and wastes no time to bark orders at them. None of the pirates dare to hesitate. Three men pull the boar and load it into the boat. James rides with them back out into the bay.

Already the entire crew is talking about the size of the monster and the state of the man who defeated it. As the pirates strap the rigs around the creature Hook climbs up and stands proudly on its chest, holding onto the ropes as his men hoist him up to the deck of the ship. A cry goes out when he comes into view.

"Three cheers for the Captain! The greatest hunter in Neverland!" some one shouts and the crew erupts with cries of hurrah as they cheer for Captain James Hook. Even through his exhaustion Hook feels extremely strong rising high over his men. He raises his hook in the air. The crew goes silent.

"Aye, gents, your beloved Hook is no longer just the Capitan of the Jolly Roger but he is now adorned as the Captain of the Neverland!" He jumps down from the beast as his crew cheers some more. Going up to an open crate he grabs a bottle of rum and rips the cork out with the sharp of his hook, thrusting it in the air.

"We drink…" he pauses, " to the boar." The music starts up again and his crew relaxes, allowing their intoxication to sway them around the ship. Hook orders Smee to have his chair brought out of his cabin. The pirate's throne is placed on the deck where James finally allows his body to collapse. Slumping comfortably into it he drinks and laughs and even joins his crew in song. For Hook has proved his strength this night, let him be the champion of the moment, King of the pirates, and Captain of the Neverland.


End file.
